Image: Mohammad Naib Sharif in Kabul

Description: Mahomed Naib Surreef, a celebrated Kuzzilbach chief of Caubul and his Peshkidmut This lithograph is taken from plate 15 of 'Afghaunistan' by Lieutenant James Rattray. Mohammad Naib Sharif was a Shia chieftain from the powerful Qizilbash tribe originally from Iran. Other Afghans were mostly Sunni Muslims and Rattray wrote: "This difference in their religious tenets creates the bitterest feeling between the two sects and leads to constant bloodshed." Sharif was a close friend of Alexander Burnes and had rescued Burnes' dishonoured corpse and given it a decent burial. He compromised himself so much due to his steadfast friendship with the British that he was constantly threatened with destruction. He left Afghanistan with the British armies in 1842 and was given a handsome stipend by the Indian Government. His Peshkhidmat - or attendant - wears the black lambskin cap of the Iranians. Through the opening at the top peeps the red lining, like a tongue, from which the term Qizilbash, meaning red cap, is derived.
Title: Mohammad Naib Sharif in Kabul
Credit: The British Library - Online Gallery
Author: Lieutenant James Rattray
Permission: This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or less. You must also include a United States public domain tag to indicate why this work is in the public domain in the United States. Note that a few countries have copyright terms longer than 70 years: Mexico has 100 years, Jamaica has 95 years, Colombia has 80 years, and Guatemala and Samoa have 75 years. This image may not be in the public domain in these countries, which moreover do not implement the rule of the shorter term. Côte d'Ivoire has a general copyright term of 99 years and Honduras has 75 years, but they do implement the rule of the shorter term. Copyright may extend on works created by French who died for France in World War II (more information), Russians who served in the Eastern Front of World War II (known as the Great Patriotic War in Russia) and posthumously rehabilitated victims of Soviet repressions (more information). This file has been identified as being free of known restrictions under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights. This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or less. You must also include a United States public domain tag to indicate why this work is in the public domain in the United States. Note that a few countries have copyright terms longer than 70 years: Mexico has 100 years, Jamaica has 95 years, Colombia has 80 years, and Guatemala and Samoa have 75 years. This image may not be in the public domain in these countries, which moreover do not implement the rule of the shorter term. Côte d'Ivoire has a general copyright term of 99 years and Honduras has 75 years, but they do implement the rule of the shorter term. Copyright may extend on works created by French who died for France in World War II (more information), Russians who served in the Eastern Front of World War II (known as the Great Patriotic War in Russia) and posthumously rehabilitated victims of Soviet repressions (more information). This file has been identified as being free of known restrictions under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights.
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